Banned driver fled crash

A BANNED driver from Runcorn abandoned a BMW that he had crashed in the middle of an M62 slip road after taking the wheel for his drunk girlfriend.

Stuart Gareth Taylor, 38, had been driven to a Liverpool gay pride event by his girlfriend on July 30 – but decided to drive home because she was drunk.

Taylor, of Penfolds, Halton Brook, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without a licence.

Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard that Taylor had been jailed for 12 weeks after being caught drink-driving on August 4, but DNA evidence only linked him to the earlier offence after he was released.

Lynn Clark, prosecuting, said: “On July 30, a blue BMW has exited the slip road at Junction 6 of the M62 at Tarbock Island, and there has been a crash involving that vehicle.

“The defendant has then headed back home.”

Ms Clark told the court Taylor was traced via DNA samples taken from the airbag of the BMW.

Checks revealed that Taylor had no licence and had been banned since 2001.

David Robb, defending, told the court that his client ‘coned off’ his vehicle and left hazard lights on to warn other drivers, before fleeing with his partner.

The court heard Taylor had committed a series of motoring offences in his youth and had been banned in 2001 after three offences of drink-driving.

Magistrates sentenced him to a 12-week curfew of between 8pm and 7am, and ordered him to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge. OR CALL